"You are," she told him, meaning it.

He wasn't nearly so serious. "I hadn't planned to go so far today."

Since he hadn't yet gotten relief, she didn't think he'd gone far enough. "I am so glad you didn't stop."

"Me, too."

She could feel his erection throbbing against her, yet he made no move to enter her. In fact...she shifted her leg against him and felt material.

He still wore his shorts.

"Don't you want to get naked, too?"

He kissed her so gently that more tears tried to fill her eyes.

When her phone rang, Yvette said, "Ignore it."

"Planned to." His thumbs rubbed her temples as he continued to put b.u.t.terfly kisses to her face. She felt cherished, which made it difficult to stop the emotional overflow.

A second later, his phone rang. He put his forehead to hers with a quiet curse.

Yvette tightened around him. "Ignore it, too."

"Yeah." He sat up, but immediately lifted her into his lap. "Time for bed."

Oh, good. "Okay." She grabbed for his shoulders as he stood. She wasn't a big person, but still, it awed her how he could carry her so easily. He might as well have been carrying a pillow. "You are so strong."

His smile went crooked. "True, but you can't judge me by this. You weigh nothing."

A hundred and twenty pounds was not "nothing," but she got his meaning.

He put her in the bed, stepped back and removed his shorts.

But not his boxers.

"Unfair. You still-"

Resolute, he reminded her, "Just touching."

Intrigued, she considered things. "You want me to do to you what you did to me?"

A mix of surprise and hunger froze him. He blew out a breath. Closed his eyes. Stood there, still and rigid, his hands clenching, until he seemed to have composed himself. "I want you to let me hold you while we sleep."

Oh, no way.

Thinking he only needed confirmation from her, she came up on an elbow. "Don't be silly. I want you." Nodding at his tented boxers, she said, "And you want me."

"Don't push me, Yvette. This is new for you and we're going to take it slow if it kills me."

"But-"

"Don't make it harder than it has to be, okay?"

He turned the light out and got into bed beside her. Mired in conflicted thoughts, Yvette tried to decide what to do.

He took the decision from her, pulling her close so he could spoon her, one large hand cupped over her breast. After a perfunctory kiss to the top of her head he said, "Sleep."

Annoyance chipped away at her mellow mood, but she had no idea how to proceed. It seemed he'd made up his mind. Still, she tried. "I'm naked."

"Mmm." His hand cuddled her breast for only a second, but given how sensitive her nipples were now, it made her shudder. "I like you naked."

Calming her heart, she said reasonably, "But you're not naked."

"Me being naked wouldn't be a good thing."

She thought it'd be a very good thing. "Why?" So that he wouldn't understand, she clarified, "Why do we have to wait?"

He was quiet so long, doubts began to creep in. At the time she hadn't cared about much except that reaching the unattainable-that incredible o.r.g.a.s.m.

But now...well, maybe she'd done something wrong. Been too enthusiastic or loud. Turned him off somehow. Maybe- "Stop overa.n.a.lyzing, honey. Sharing that with you was about as hot as it gets."

Relief had her slumping back against him. "Then-"

"Fact is, I want more than s.e.x with you." He surrounded her, hugging her with his muscled arms, aligning his strong, hairy legs against the backs of hers. His scent and heat lulled her; the sweet way he kissed her shoulder made her eyes feel heavy. "How much more... that's something we'll have to work out. But I know it'll be better if we get there one step at a time."

Her hand over one of his, she traced his knuckles. It amazed her how a man so capable of a brutal one-punch knockout could be so unreservedly gentle when touching her. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

"Because I have a b.o.n.e.r, you mean?"

She nodded.

"I can handle it."

She'd sort of like to see that- He squeezed her. "Mind out of the gutter, babe."

Hearing his amus.e.m.e.nt made her grin, too. "Sorry."

"Go to sleep, and have sweet dreams."

While so much confusion plagued her brain, she didn't think she could, but with Cannon holding her, exhaustion won out. She closed her eyes and listened to his even, relaxed breaths, felt the heavy thumping of his strong heartbeat against her back. She realized she felt safe, protected. Not from anything specific, but in general terms.

Until she felt it now, with Cannon, she hadn't realized how unsafe she'd felt for so very long.

The sense of well-being allowed exhaustion to creep in. As she slipped into slumber, she did indeed dream of Cannon.

And neither of them thought about their phones.

Cannon felt her body sink against his, her breathing deepen as she fell asleep. Thank G.o.d. If she'd asked him even one more time to take her, he'd have crumbled. But as raw as he felt, as desperate as he was to get inside her, he knew he wouldn't be able to control himself.

She would deny it, but she needed gentleness, rea.s.surance, a considerate lover.

At the moment, he wasn't capable of that.

Letting out a pent-up breath, he hugged her carefully, protectively.

What the h.e.l.l had he been thinking?

He'd wanted to sweetly seduce her, to ease her into a s.e.xual relationship.

Instead he'd lost his head and laid her out in front of him. Naked. While he'd still worn his shorts.

He'd gone down on her as if eating her on his couch was an everyday occurrence instead of a fantasy he'd a.s.sumed would never happen.

Squeezing his eyes shut, he thought of her sweet taste, how wet she'd gotten for him, how she'd lifted to the stroke of his tongue.

Her broken moans.

The tensing of her slim legs, the fisting of her hands. How her back had arched and her belly had sucked in.

The tears in her eyes after her release had dwindled away, leaving her soft and shaken and dazed.

How she'd looked at him with wonder...just the way she used to.

He gave her ten minutes to make sure she wouldn't awaken, then, knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep, he slipped from the bed, from her bedroom, and went to his own room to relieve himself. It didn't take him long, not with her scent still clinging to him.

When he rejoined her in the bed, less edgy but still in need of her, she shifted in her sleep, turning to face him, snuggling in against his chest.

It took him a very long time to get to sleep, but he'd never enjoyed a sleepless night more, or for a better reason.

m erissa didn't allow herself time for doubt. Any excuse in a storm. Yes, she knew that wasn't how the saying went, but for her and her unique purpose, it worked.

She went up the steps two at a time because if she hesitated at all she'd chicken out. For the tenth time she checked her watch. Only ten-thirty. Not really late. But just in case... When she reached the right door, she tapped softly. If he was in bed, well, then, no reason to wake him.

She'd barely lowered her hand before the door swung open, and there stood Armie. Flushed, with mussed hair. Shirtless. Barefoot. The b.u.t.ton and fly of his jeans opened to reveal a happy trail.

Her heart stuttered and almost stopped.

Until she noticed the redhead draped over his shoulder.

As soon as she did notice, he shrugged the woman off, stepped over the threshold and closed the door behind him.

They stared at each other...and slowly a frown replaced the surprise in his dark brown eyes. "What the f.u.c.k, Rissy." He looked around her as if searching for someone. When he realized she was alone, he looked even more furious. "I thought you were Kelli."

Meaning he wouldn't have opened the door mostly naked if he'd known it was her? "Kelli?" She had a hard time keeping her gaze off his body.

"Yeah, she's Avril's friend and..." He looked appalled at himself, which fried his temper and left him brewing like a thundercloud-a thundercloud that had just been wallowing in carnal activity. "What are you doing here?"

At almost the same time, she asked, "Kelli and Avril?"

The door opened behind him and the redhead, grinning at her wickedly, asked, "Is she joining us or not?"

Merissa stumbled back.

Together, she and Armie both said, "Not."

The woman wore only Armie's shirt with mile-high strappy sandals. Pouting, she reached around him for his fly, her hand dipping inside the open waistband. "Then where's Kelli?"

Armie caught her wrist and held her hand higher- still against his bare, taut skin.

Merissa's heart pounded in sick resentment. She licked her dry lips and started to come up with any excuse to leave. "So I, ah-"

From behind her, a woman said, "Here I am!"

She turned. A blonde. With more b.o.o.b showing than she had covered. She carried a bottle of wine in one hand, her sandals in the other, and she looked ready to...party.

Eyes narrowed, jaw set, Armie pushed the door open and said to the women, "Wait inside. I'll be there in a minute."

The two women greeted each other with a lingering kiss. Armie watched without interrupting, and when they finally got out of the way, he pulled the door closed again.

Rissy had a difficult time breathing. Okay, sure, she'd heard about Armie's excesses just as she'd heard about his aversion to nice women. Maybe nice meant anyone who wouldn't accommodate his overblown s.e.xual appet.i.te.

For far too long he stared at the floor, then finally turned to her. "Why are you here?"

She no longer remembered her excuse. "You...? They...?"

He worked his jaw. "It's a threesome. No big deal. Don't faint."

Armie flaunted the fact that he was a s.e.xual hedonist- and so many women loved that about him.

She wasn't one of them.

Finally finding her voice, she said, "I make no guarantees."

Eying her, he took a step forward. "s.h.i.t. You do look pale."

With embarra.s.sment! "I can't believe you-"

Through the door, one woman yelled in a singsong voice, "Hurry up, Armie, or we'll start without you!"

Armie rubbed his mouth, then dropped his hand. "There you go. Seems I'm needed inside, so how about you get to the reason for this little unexpected visit."

No. This was a big mistake; no reason to make it worse with lame excuses. "Never mind." Hugging herself to ward off the chill of humiliation, she turned to go.

Armie caught her upper arm. "Oh, no, you don't." Very close behind her ear, he growled, "Don't leave me in suspense."

She felt the heat of his bare torso all along her back. Her height of five-eleven put him only an inch taller. But where she was thin, he had the bulk and muscle of a fighter.

When she remained mute, he didn't step away. He might have even smelled her hair.